Folding and trimming mechanism for sewing machines



C. W. BROWN. FOLDING AND TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, I918.

Patented Dec. 112, 11922...

2 SHE ETS -SHEET I.

INVENTOR 674/715 fl/fimw WITNESS MM War.

ATTORNEY C. W. BROWN. FOLDING AND TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED .IULYZO, I918- Patented Dec.12,1922.,

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR (4411/5 h J/WM WITNESS fim @714,

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1922..

UNITED STATES 1,438,293 PATIENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. BROWN, UTICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFAC- DURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION .OF NEW JERSEY.

FOLDING AND TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed July 20,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foldin and Trimming Mechanisms for Sewing achines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in the constructions employed for attaching.

edging strips to garments and particularly edging strips of knit or other elastic material.

In machines heretofore employed for attaching edging strips to garments, and thereby finishing the edges thereof it has been a common practice to attach the strip to the body-fabric in the form of a binding embracing the edge of the body-fabric. In order to obviate waste in material, the edges of the binding strip were caused to overlap the edge of the body-fabric as little as possible, but in doing so the rapidity of manufacture particularly of knit goods garments was greatly reduced.

The primary object of this invention is to attach an edging strip to a garment at a higher rate of speed than heretofore possible and in a manner occasioning less waste 1n material, at the same t1me securely en-' closing the free edges of the garment and the edging strip.

More specifically, the invention has for its object to provide a trimming and overedging machine with a folder adapted to guide an edging strip and uncurl the edges thereof so that its, edges lie in substantial alinement and in superposed relation with an edge of the body-fabric, thereby permitting the trimming of the body-fabric and the edging strip simultaneously and the uniting of the same by overedge stitches.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there is employed a trimming and overedging machine substantially as disclosed in the United States patent to A. Grieb, No. 932,272, dated August 24, 1909. Adjustably secured upon the machine frame and extending in the direction of feed is a folder for an edging strip adapted. to fold the latter into a horizontal U-shape. The receiving end of the folder is inclined to the direction of feed and is adapted to invert ming .both, after which the fabric is fed to the 1918. Serial No. 245,848.

mediate the strip-supply and the folder. A

guide is provided to direct the body-fabric to the trimming mechanism so that the edge of said body-fabric is in substantial alinement with the free edgesof the edging strip, thereby permitting the simultaneous trimy the machine of the raw edges of overedging mechanism of the machine. After completion of the seaming operation, the fabrics are opened out and ironed flat. In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front side elevation of a sewing machine embodying the present improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sewing machine, omitting the overhanging arm. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the trimming mechanism and of the edge-guide. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the folder and its supporting arm. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the trimmed and overedged body-fabric and edging strip. Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Flg. 5 but with the fabrics opened out preparatory to ironingithe seam.

eferring to the drawings, the sewing machine is supported on a base 1 and includes the usual cloth-plate 2 and overhanging arm 3 terminating in the inclined head 4. As the sewing machine shown in the accompanying drawings is substantially the same as that clearly shown and described in the gagin looper 8 operated in the usual manner. he trlmming mechanism includes a stationary blade 9 and a cooperating movable blade or severing element 10, the latter of which is carried by the front end of a. vibrating arm 11 supported and actuatedin the usual manner.

Adjustably secured to the base 1, by screws as 12, is the Supporting arm 13 of an edging strip folder. The folder consists of substantially U-shaped strip-folding walls 14 and 15 of which the extremities are doubled back upon themselves, thereby formingenclosing walls 16 and '17 spaced from the walls 14 and 15. The curved uniting portions 18 and 19 between the walls 14 and 16 edges of the strip. The edging strip 8 is led to the vfolder from a suitable strip-supply 22 in a direction substantially at right'an- 3 gles to the direction of its delivery by the folder to the trimming mechanism. Intermediate the folder and the strip supply is.

' a tensioning device comprising a plurality of tension-pins 23, carried by a supporting arm 24, projecting from the strip-supply holder 25.

A suitably secured edge-guide 26, located fabric 6 in superposed relation with respect to the edging strip and in alinement with the edges of the latter to permit the severing element 10 to simultaneously trim the supe posed edges, after which they are united by the overedge stitches, as t. The body-fabric may be led directly over the folder, or

through either of the strip-guiding passages thereof. By this means, the body-fabric may be united with either the upper or underside of the folded strips as may be desired. The combination described permits of the attachment of edging strips to bodygarments at a considerably greater speed than heretofore and with a very small waste of material, thereby greatly lessening the cost of manufacture of the garments.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what ll'claim herein is 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with over-edge stitch-forming mechanism including'a needle, and an'over-the-edge operating thread-carrying implement complemental to the needle in the formation of fabric-margin embracing stitches, of a stripfolder having spaced folding edges inclined with respect to the line of feed, and means for supporting said strip-folder whereby a stripof fabric is introduced between said inclined edges and is thence led thereover into the line of feed.

2. In a sewing machine, in combination, anedge-guide for a body-fabric, a stripfolder having a fold-producing portion disposed with respect to saidedge-guide to present both plies of afolded strip on one side of the body-fabric, trimming mechanism including a trimmer blade disposed with respect to said' edge-guide and said stripfolder to sever the free edges of the folded strip and the guided edgeof the body-fabric, and overedge stitch-forming mechanism including an over-the-edge operating implement to embrace by overedge stitches the margins pf the fabrics.-

overedge stitch-forming mechanism including a needle and an over-the-edge operating thread carrying implement complemental to embracing stitches, fabric trimming mechanism including a blade operating entirely across the work position, and a strip-folder disposed in advance of the effective portion of said trimming mechanism.

4. lln a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, and trimming mechanism including cooperating'cutting elements located at one side and in advance of the point of penetration of the work by the needle, of a body-.fabric edge-guide disposed on the same sideof said needle as said cutting elements, anda strip-folder having a foldproducing portion disposed on the side of the needle opposed. to said cutting elements and edge-guide.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination with overedge stitch-forming mechanism in cluding a needle, and an 0ver-the,-edge operating thread-carrying implement complementalto the needle in the formation of fabric-margin embracing stitches, of a stripfolder formed with a portion inclined with respect to the line of feed and merging into a fold-defining edge, and means for supportin said strip-folder in advance of the stitchorming mechanism with the folddefining edge in a line substantially parallel with the line of seam-formation.

lln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES W. BROWN.

lin a sewing machine, in combination,

the needle in the formation of fabric-margin 1 

